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Spectators and journalists look on as St. Lambertus church in Erkelenz-Immerath, western Germany, is demolished on Jan. 8, 2018.

Immerath is a rural farming village in west Germany, northwest of Cologne. At one point, it was home to about 1,200 people, according to The Washington Post.

But for the past few years, Immerath has slowly become a ghost town. German energy company RWE has taken over the land, constructing a new version of the village seven miles away. The village hospital was relocated, and its houses torn down and moved. Even Immerath’s cemetery wasn’t immune to the move ― its centuries-old bodies were dug up and relocated with the village.

German chancellor Angela Merkel has strived to be a leader on the world stage in tackling climate change. But Germany is still heavily dependent on burning coal for power. Some critics fear that phasing out coal too quickly would disrupt the country’s economy and lead to major job losses.

Although Immerath’s old village cathedral is gone, its memory is being preserved. RWE has built another village chapel in the new town it is constructing for former residents of Immerath. A miniature replica of the cathedral has reportedly been placed near the new town’s central plaza.

Scroll down to see the demolition of the Immerather Dom unfold.

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Greenpeace activists light a protest banner reading "#ENDCOAL" with fire as the St. Lambertus church is demolished for the expansion of the nearby opencast brown coal mine of German power supplier RWE, in Immerath Village, Germany Jan. 8, 2018.

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A wreath and flowers are placed in protest against a fence in front of the desacralized St. Lambertus church.

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A Greenpeace activist protesting against coal is chained to an excavator shovel in front of the St. Lambertus church.

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A child places flowers during a demolition of Saint Lambertus church following protests by activists on Jan. 9, 2018 in Immerath, Germany.

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A police helicopter is seen in the sky in Immerath.

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The St. Lambertus church in the village of Immerath is demolished for the expansion of the nearby opencast brown coal mine of German power supplier RWE.

Wolfgang Rattay / Reuters

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Spectators and journalists look on at the demolition.

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Many residents from the village of Immerath were relocated previously.

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The nave of the church is exposed.

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A balloon is seen in protest against the demolition.

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A picture taken with a drone on Jan. 9, 2018.

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The demolition is nearly complete.

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RWE, the utility that operates the mine, is moving Immerath's approximately 1,200 residents to a new settlement about 8 km west.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story mistakenly stated that Immerath is south of Cologne. The village lies to the northwest of Cologne.